Tartaros Alternate ending
by Fanficg1rl
Summary: Spoiler alert! If you have not caught up on Fairy Tail Manga and anime don't read this Fanfic. Summary: What if someone during the Natsu's fight with Mard Gear found out that there is a connection between Natsu and the book of E.N.D.? Here is my take on this alternate ending! This idea came from my friend joking around when I told her about Natsu being E.N.D. in the manga so enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

"Natsu I need you to get that book to me unscathed. In exchange I will answer all of the questions that you may have for me," Igneel's words rang in my ears as I battler Mard Gear with Sting and Rouge. I could see the book in question sitting on a broken pillar nearby if only I could get to it… Even with Sting and Rouge fighting with me, I have to admit this is one tough battle and the guy isn't even breaking a sweat. That was when I distantly felt a coldness coming from somewhere on the ground and sensed Gray's magic. I landed on a ledge and looked down searching for him an idea suddenly coming to me. I finally located him near the pillar where the book laid. As I watched he made a sword out of ice and was going to destroy the book! I couldn't let him do that! Igneel needed the book undamaged or else I wouldn't get my answers. Forgetting the fight going on behind me I made my way quickly to where Gray was and smashed his sword right before he could touch the book.

"Gray! Don't destroy this book! Igneel needs it undamaged or he won't tell me what I want to know that's the deal he made with me," I yelled as I got closer to him I could feel the air get colder witch surprised me I also could feel large amounts or magic coming from Gray. How did he get even more powerful AFTER a battle? He gave me a strange look when I finally came up to him.

"What the hell Natsu! What difference does it make if I destroy it or that dragon does it? Since he seems a little busy now so I'll just do it for him," Gray argued I guess he did have a good point it is weird that Igneel would want the book undamaged if he is just going to destroy it anyway. He did say he would explain everything latter and this was just one more thing to go on that long list of things I want to ask him when this is all over.

"It probably takes the magic of a dragon to destroy the book or something, but he needs it undamaged for it to work maybe? Just don't damage the book my pops gave me a job to do and getting that book to him undamaged is a part of the job so hand it over and I will take it to him right now," I explained to Gray while holding my hand out for the book. He at least seemed to understand part of what I was trying to do at least, but he made no move to give me the book. "Uh Gray? This is the part where you give me the book," I leaned closer to him with my hand still out but he still didn't give it to me, he was just staring down at the book in his hands.

"I promised my own pops I would get rid of this book and I am going to keep that promise to him," he murmured turning his back to me. "Besides how do I know that dragon of will destroy the book?" I was taking aback by what Gray was suggesting.

"Igneel would never lie to me if he says that he's going to do something then he would do it," I told him getting impatient. I was thinking of the possibility of fighting him for the book when he sighed.

"But Igneel never said he was going to destroy the book once he got it did he? Just that he needs it to be undamaged when he gets it," Gray replied with his back still to me. "I'm going to trust your judgement on this just this once Natsu, don't let me down. I'm sure a dragon could do more damage than I could anyway," He agreed much to my surprise.

"He may not have said it but I have a strong feeling that once this is all over Igneel is going to destroy this book once and for all just give it to me and I can take it to him," I said again holding my hand out for the book. He still didn't give me the book and I finally just made a grab for the book. He swiftly pulled the book out of my reach

"Gray! What the hell! Give me the book already I can't give it to Igneel if you won't give it to me," I yelled at him taking another lunge for the book but he jerked it out of reach again.

"Natsu he's busy so I'll just hold onto this until the fighting is all over, then I'll give it to him," Gray told me. I was going to make an angry protest when I suddenly smelled Lucy's scent. I looked around then I saw her over Gray's shoulder coming around some fallen debris. She wasn't looking at us but at the fight that was happening with Mard Gear… MARD GEAR! I was supposed to be helping Sting and Rouge fight Mard Gear. I don't have time to be standing here arguing with Gray.

"Fine Gray I'll leave the book protecting up to you and protect Lucy too she's used up most of her magic and can't summon any spirits," I yelled over my shoulder as I ran to where Rouge got thrown to the ground. I helped him up and we both flung ourselves at Mard Gear with a series of attacks.

GRAY'S P.O.V.

Natsu ran off suddenly remembering that he was supposed to be fighting Mard Gear with Sting and Rouge. Leaving me to babysit a book and Lucy, why did I let myself be left to this duty? I turned around to find Lucy staring at me with a shocked expression. "G-Gray what happened? You're giving off a lot of powerful magic right now, more than before at least," She said her initial shock fading and replaced with puzzlement. I laughed, I had forgotten about the 'present' I got from my pops and of course no one else knows about it because we were alone when I got it.

"I guess you could call it a parting gift from my father," I told her and she seemed to become even more confused. "I can explain more on it later. What are you doing her Lucy? I thought you went with Gajeel to take Laxus and Juvia to the others so they could get the antidote for the dark particles.

"I wanted to make sure that Natsu was alright he is fighting the king of Tartaros after all. We found the others and Juvia, Laxus and the others are getting the antidote right now. They will be fine once they wake up. I overheard what you guys were saying and if we really have to protect that book then why don't we put in something that wouldn't get damaged easily?" Lucy suggested, but there was one flaw that I could think of.

"Lucy we don't have anything like that handy out here in the middle of a battle field. What would we put it in?" I asked her gesturing to all of the wreckage all around us. She just rolled her eyes like the answer should be super obvious.

"Your ice is strong enough and it bends to your imagination right? You could make an ice box or something and put the book in that," Lucy explained and that made me feel really stupid, why didn't I think of that? It is my magic after all.

"That's a great idea the book will get cold but that won't damage it any," I said picturing what I wanted in my mind then I focused on the book and pulled in my magic and focused it. Ice started to form and cover the book. I added layer after layer of ice to the book just in case something happened. "There that should do it that much ice together will take something big to break it if we are under fire. That was a really good idea Lucy." She had come to stand next to me to observe what I was doing and I ruffled her hair.

"Hey! Gray stop it! My hair's going to get messed up," she complained. "Stay serious there is a battle going on you know we have to stay alert." I was going to reply with how you should worry about how your hair looks when you're in the middle of a battle when something caught my eye. I saw Natsu, Rouge, and Sting stand in a triangle to make an attack Mard Gear together, there was nothing wrong there. But when Natsu jumped into the air to attack there was a trail of ice particles trailing behind him. I thought it could be my imagination or something and blinked a few times, but the particles didn't disappear. What the heck? Why would there be ice particles on Natsu? He has fire magic and the ice is melting as fast as it was forming, but Mard Gear isn't using ice based attacks so where was the ice coming from? I looked closer and saw that the ice forming on his clothes wasn't going away.

"Lucy, do you see what I see on Natsu?" I asked pointing at Natsu. She followed Natsu with her eyes and then let out a gasp.

"What's happening to Natsu? Why is there ice forming on him? Where is it coming from?" She asked seeming to go into thought on where it could be coming from. From above us we heard Natsu yell out in surprise.

"Where the hell is all this ice coming from? I'm actually feeling the cold. This better not be from you Gray! I will make you pay if it is!" he yelled to us not even slowing down in the fight to yell at us properly. I just snickered to myself that was just like Natsu to blame me for every problem with ice he runs into, this time at least it wasn't me.

Gray, did the ice start forming on Natsu before or after you encased the book in ice?" Lucy asked suddenly. I thought for a second of when I started seeing the ice and wondering what she could be getting at.

"It was after I'm sure of it," I responded and Lucy nodded seeming to get a confirmation on something.

"I have a theory but I need to check something out first. Undo the ice that is on the book and let's see what happens," Lucy suggested and I could only do as she said. I concentrated again this time to undo the magic and layer by layer the ice broke off the book. Once the last layer of ice broke off the book Lucy took the book from my hands and held it to her chest.

"Uh… Lucy? What are you doing?" I asked confused. How will hugging the book of E.N.D. save Natsu from freezing solid?

"I'm warming the book up to thaw Natsu out. I think him and the book are connected somehow. I needed you to remove the ice off the book so I could see if the ice stops forming on Natsu as well," Lucy explained still holding the book tightly to her chest and not taking her eyes off of Natsu who was still fighting Mard Gear. Suddenly a thought came to me.

"Wait… Lucy if Natsu is connected to that book like you say he is and that book is E.N.D. then that would make Natsu E.N.D. right?" I asked, she looked over at me sharply at that.

"Are you suggesting that Natsu is a demon of the book of Zeref?" She asked though I could see by her face that she thought the same thing as me. That would make Natsu a demon and therefore an enemy or would it? "The only problem I have with that is Natsu doesn't look like any of those Tartaros guys, he doesn't even look like a demon.

"Lucy, it makes a lot of sense **if** Natsu is connected to the book. It explains why Igneel couldn't or a better word would be _wouldn't_ kill E.N.D. is because Natsu is E.N.D. and Igneel thinks of Natsu as a son. That also explains why Igneel asked that nothing happens to this book because whatever happens to this book… also happens to Natsu," I finished with a big realization. If anything had happened to the book before now no matter how many times Natsu put his life in danger it could have ended any time if anything happened to this book. Lucy seemed to think that same thing, I saw her arms tighten round the book her eyes I assume were back to watching Natsu.

"But why would Igneel hide that from Natsu? Unless someone maybe even Igneel himself didn't want Natsu to know who or what he truly is. This book was written by Zeref, maybe that's who doesn't want Natsu to know. It all seems to lead back to Zeref in one way or another. What I can't seem to figure out is what he plans to gain with all of these various plans," Lucy wondered out loud at some point in her wanderings she had started to pace back and forth in front of me.

"I have no idea what this could mean. Igneel seems to know a lot more about this that we do we should try to ask him after all of this fighting is over," I suggested to Lucy who nodded in acknowledgment and continued to pact her eyes never leaving Natsu.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

After the Fighting is over…

"Natsu I don't have a lot of time to linger here so hurry up and ask your questions," Igneel warned Natsu who was standing in front of the giant dragon staring up at him like an idiot. I was about to go ask about the connection between the book and Natsu when Lucy beat me to it.

"Mr. Igneel what is the connection between Natsu and this book?" She asked directly pointing to the book of E.N.D. that was in Igneel's claw, he looked surprised by the question.

"Lucy what are you talking about a connection? I'm not a demon I'm a human just like you and Gray have you lost your mind?" Natsu said looking confused.

"Igneel you know what I'm talking about, Natsu has a right to know," Lucy pressed clearly trying to back the dragon into a corner so he would have to answer. Igneel's eyes darted around as if trying to find a way out of answering Lucy's question saw there was none sighed in defeat then started talking.

"Alright fine I'll tell you listen closely I only have enough time to say this once," Igneel warned and we all nodded. "So many years ago Zeref made the book of E.N.D. the result of that… was Natsu. Zeref wanting to keep Natsu from the other demons gave him to me to be raised as a human. I took him in and raised him as my son that is why I could not bring myself to kill E.N.D. or destroy his book when I was tasked to do so, Natsu is E.N.D. I instead decided to go inside Natsu and make the anti-bodies that would stop him from being turned into a dragon like acnologia by his own magic," Igneel finished with a sigh then turned to Natsu. "That is why I disappeared that day 14 years ago just know Natsu I didn't want to leave you and here I am leaving you again…" My eyes widened when I saw there were actual tears in Igneel's eyes. It's a weird thing to see a giant dragon cry there are no words to describe the feeling. There is also the fact that Natsu is E.N.D. and therefore a demon maybe that's why I've always disliked him but I don't think that's the truth. I got a look at Natsu's face and saw shock etched onto his face.

"I-Igneel what are you saying? Are you telling me that I'm not even human?" Natsu burst out once the initial shock passed.

"No Natsu I'm saying that you were fully demon at one time. I raised in the way of human's and now you are also part human in that manner as well, because no matter what a part of you is from the book of E.N.D. the very book I hired you to retrieve for me today," Igneel told Natsu holding the book up for us to see. "Natsu I have to leave you know, but just know that I love you and I'll be taking this book with me. This is good bye Natsu, I hope you will forgive me for leaving both now and all those years ago. I know you're going to be just fine with your new family," Then he was gone, Igneel king of the dragons as I latter came to understand disappeared from us forever that night. Once he was gone Natsu fell to his knees and from the way his shoulders were I knew he was crying. Lucy walked over and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Suddenly I realized that the rest of the guild had (or those who were able to move at least) had come to where Lucy, Natsu, and I were. We all stood there trying to process all of the information Igneel had told us listening to Natsu cry it out with Lucy now kneeling by his side her arms rapped around him in a comforting hug in front of us. One thing was for sure and it actually pained me to think it, Natsu is in fact a demon of the book of Zeref and that means he is going to need to die in order to defeat Zeref.


End file.
